Reflections
by Owl344
Summary: Vetinari thinks about Vimes, and Vimes thinks about Vetinari.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This isn't actually Vimes/Vetinari slash, though it could probably be read as such. Feel free to treat it however way you wish...and, oh, leave a review containing your opinions. Please?**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own and never will. These are just some of my interpretations of the two characters I find most fascinating in that world on a Disc.**_

Looking Glass

Lord Havelock Vetinari loves Commander Vimes. He is a fascinating character, his mental construct amazing.

Commander Vimes is impossible, an enigma; people think that Vetinari has got him under control. They call him _Vetinari's Terrier_.

This is silly and foolish and nearly—though not quite—makes him laugh, because Vimes does not dig for Vetinari. He is not Vetinari's to control.

Vimes is controllable by no one, not even himself.

People think, often, that Vimes is a law unto himself, and this _does _make Vetinari laugh, because, of course, all these people are _missing the point_.

Vimes is _not_ a law unto himself.

He is himself unto the law.

Vetinari knows that Vimes could be a king of something, maybe a criminal organization or maybe a country. Vimes' character is strong, strong, and he could, Vetinari is sure, inspire fear. _Easily_.

But he does _not_. Most people do not understand this (Vetinari can think of perhaps three). They know that he is unbribable, and yet—and yet—

They very nearly accused Vimes, once, of poisoning Vetinari. Vetinari, of course, understands how they can make such mistakes, or he would not be Vetinari—but even knowing their characters, he cannot help but be incredulous.

Don't they _know?_ Can't they _see?_

Apparently not.

People assume that Vetinari could get away with murder, and it is true; he could. But only if he got rid of Vimes, and he has made that deliberately difficult. Otherwise, Vimes would arrest him, and probably have him hanged.

Vetinari is continually grateful for the existence of the Commander; the tyrant who wants to be a tyrant tomorrow, as well as today, needs to know that he _cannot. _ Vimes is a tool for many things, and Vimes knows this well, but Vetinari is equally sure that Vimes does not know that his main purpose is to be a check for Vetinari. (Vimes, after all, believes in equality.)

If he believed in Gods, instead of merely knowing they existed, he'd thank them.

As it is, he knows that, really, he mostly has himself to thank.

But he also knows that he could not have created Vimes if Vimes had not been there to create.


	2. Mirror

_**A/N: Well, this concludes this fic. Both posted on the same day, within the same five or so minutes, so it's not like anyone had a chance to read the first one before this one came up, but hey.**_

_**Anyways, the first chapter, Looking Glass**_**, _was about Vetinari's views on Vimes. This one, Mirror, is about Vimes' views on Vetinari. I think it's pretty obvious why I named them that way._**

_**Disclaimer: Don't own and never will. These are just some of my interpretations of the two characters I find most fascinating in that world on a Disc.**_

Mirror

A lot of people call him Vetinari's Terrier. He'd said, once, that everyone was someone's dog.

He was, really, avoiding the issue.

He is a terrier, though he is not Vetinari's. He is the _Law's_ Terrier, and wherever he goes, the Laws must be kept. He is a policeman, a copper, and he knows that he is one because if he wasn't he'd be something he didn't like, and if he broke the laws or let other people break them he'd be the same, so wherever he lives, _he keeps the Laws_. (And sometimes, if there aren't any, he makes them.)

He chooses to live in Ankh-Morpork, because he was born there and is loves her and is loyal to her. (And because Vetinari is there, too, but not because he's loyal to Vetinari—because he knows that, of all the places he could go, all the places he'd be welcome with open arms, they wouldn't let him keep the Laws. And he wouldn't let himself become who, what, he'd become if he broke them. And he didn't want to die.)

And so in Ankh-Morpork, the laws were kept.

Once, a long time ago and no time ago at all, he'd arrested a whole battlefield: armies, leaders, camels and all.

And then he'd come home and said that he couldn't arrest Lord Vetinari.

And he realized what he'd said and realized, with a faint and dawning horror, that yes, he could, he _had to…_

He wasn't looking forward to it, not at all.

Vetinari had insisted on it being done properly, with handcuffs and, he'd suggested, a hurdle; Vimes had been very annoyed but also, hidden deep, nearly breaking with relief—because he _had_ to arrest Lord Vetinari, but he didn't know what he'd do if Vetinari had ordered him not to.

Late at nights, he'd think about it, and he'd _know_, with a cold sick certainty, that Lord Vetinari had arranged it so that Vimes could keep the laws, and he knew that someone else, if only one person, saw the nature of the beast inside him.

But he also knew that Vetinari saw the nature of the cage, too, the copper's badge shaped like a shield—and he knew that Vetinari was helping him keep that beast restrained.

And he was scared of that, too, because he knew that, for the good of the city, Vetinari would let that beast out. If he had to.

But that's not, really, what scares Vimes, because as much as Vimes would like to think so, _Vimes isn't sure he'd try to stop him…_


End file.
